Hospital barred from pulling plug on toddler
WICHITA -- The parents of a 2-year-old boy who nearly drowned won a temporary reprieve Wednesday in their battle to keep a Wichita hospital from pulling the plug on their son's life support.

Young in jail, but glad to be back in Kansas
LEAVENWORTH -- Toby Young, accused of helping a convicted murderer escape from prison in a dog crate, is glad to be back in Kansas, after nearly two weeks on the run, but will stay in jail for at least another two weeks, her lawyer said today.

Fire destroys gallery, 200 paintings
OVERLAND PARK -- About 200 original paintings by a well-known regional artist were destroyed Wednesday when a fire swept through his gallery in the historic downtown of this Kansas City suburb.

Two arrested after Manhattan drug raid
MANHATTAN -- Two Manhattan residents were arrested on drug charges following a raid early Wednesday by officers from the Riley County and Kansas State University police departments.

Deputies find, release van full of illegals
WICHITA -- A moving van carrying 12 illegal immigrants was stopped for minor traffic violations in Wichita, but local authorities released the occupants after immigration officials said they were too busy to handle the case, the Sedgwick County Sheriff's Office said today.

Phelps picketers to challenge Missouri law
ANDERSON, Mo. -- Members of a Kansas group known for their "God Hates Fags placards say they will picket the weekend funeral of a Missouri soldier, setting up the first direct challenge of a new state law.

Economy not quite as bright as thought
While the state's latest employment figures contained some good news today, the Department of Labor acknowledged newly revised numbers show the economic picture hasn't been quite as rosy as previously thought.

Woman accused in escape returns to Kansas
LEAVENWORTH, -- The woman accused of helping a convicted murderer escape from a Kansas prison in a dog crate last month was back in the state today, and the inmate was being returned as well.

House, Senate school plans begin imploding
House and Senate leaders' efforts to pass a bipartisan school finance plan began imploding today after rank-and-file legislators realized the proposals would cause serious budget problems.

Suspended TPD detectives return to duty
Topeka police detectives Kenneth Eaton and George Campbell returned to duty today after being suspended early this week amid an investigation into their dispute with Glenda Overstreet, a Topeka Capital-Journal columnist who is president of the local NAACP.

Robinson faces new charge in murder case
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Convicted serial killer John E. Robinson Sr., whose death sentences for killing two women are in constitutional limbo, is facing a new federal charge that could bring a death sentence of its own.

Business Briefs
Hallmark flat for 2005
Hallmark Cards Inc. on Thursday announced consolidated revenue of $4.2 billion for 2005, which is flat to 2004 when adjusted to reflect current operating businesses.

Fund encourages women to give
"American women have been the power tools of American democracy and the American economy since 1643."
Those words from Claire Gaudiani, author of "The Greater Good -- How Philanthropy Drives the American Economy and Can Save Capitalism," reached out Thursday to more than 100 women celebrating the launch of the Women's Fund, a new donor-advised fund of the Topeka Community Foundation.

Piece by piece
Necessity is the mother of invention. But curiosity can play a big role.
Olu Otudeko took the curiosity shown by his students and turned it into education and profit.

Dry spell tops worries
Custom harvesters are worried about drought, labor shortages and rising operating costs.
Drought has hurt wheat crops in Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas. About 86 percent of the wheat in Texas is rated as very poor.

Business briefs
Replacement workers used by company
AK Steel Holding Corp. -- relying on hardball tactics used in other labor standoffs -- operated its Middletown Works plant in Middletown, Ohio, on Wednesday with salaried and replacement workers after locking out nearly 2,700 union employees.

Drinkgern to K-State
Colleges were beginning to take notice of Marysville offensive lineman Kaleb Drinkgern. Quite a few colleges, in fact.

Caywood: Cats again superior to Kansas
LAWRENCE — The celebration was understated, a happy knot of players in front of the bench. Waves. Smiles. An upraised jersey to display the "Kansas State" on the front for everyone in Allen Fieldhouse to see.

K-State coach fined
LINCOLN, Neb. — Kansas State coach Jim Wooldridge was reprimanded and fined $5,000 by the Big 12 Conference on Wednesday for disparaging remarks he made about the officiating following the Wildcats' 71-70 loss to Oklahoma last Saturday.

Kansas State adding activities to spring game
Almost from the moment he was hired, Kansas State coach Ron Prince said he wanted to make the annual Purple and White spring football game something special, a weekend extravaganza of sorts.

A cut above the usual
Some might consider unpalatable for dinner theater a musical about madness, murder and cannibalism.

Pupils turned on to 'toons, tunes
Hundreds of area fifth- through eighth-graders spent part of their school day Thursday watching cartoons.
Before you complain to school administrators about wasting your tax dollars, the experience was an educational one.

Scatcatz come back
Click here to check for reprint availability.
It is another life for these cats.
The Scatcatz, the trio of Ric Barron, Danl Blackwood and C. Jaisson H. Taylor, were a fixture of the Topeka music scene in the early 1980s. On Saturday night, the band reunites for a concert at the Sixth Street Ballroom, 117 S.W. 6th.

Support has been gratifying
With the recent set of events that have been brought forth in the media regarding Detective Kenneth Eaton's and Detective George Campbell's choice of words that graphically illustrated their mindsets, it is important to remember that this is a matter that extends beyond just my personal involvement. Both detectives were sworn in via an oath taken as public officials to serve and protect the entire Topeka community no matter the ethnic heritage. Such views expressed as "if you don't like it here, go back to your homeland" isn't simply a matter of words but a matter of exclusion.

KU's Kemp meeting expectations
LAWRENCE — This is the season Crystal Kemp was always supposed to have. She was an all-stater at Topeka High. She's been Kansas' best player her entire career. Last year she became one of 11 Jayhawks to score 1,000 points and grab 500 rebounds.

Kansas' Falkenstien goes out in style
LAWRENCE — Max Falkenstien's number was retired in Allen Fieldhouse, he gave a speech at halftime, hugged Christian Moody in the layup line and officially became a KU legend when he was honored for his 60 years of broadcasting Kansas basketball games.

Cats handle Kansas
LAWRENCE — The sign proclaiming Allen Fieldhouse as "Bramlage East" appeared about 40 minutes before tipoff of the second meeting of the season between Kansas State and Kansas.

Kansas back in Big 12 championship race
LAWRENCE — Long after the Kansas seniors tugged at their own hearts, as well as those of the fans who hung around to listen to their farewell speeches Wednesday night, there was a Big 12 basketball race to talk about.

Caywood: Cats again superior to Kansas
LAWRENCE — The celebration was understated, a happy knot of players in front of the bench. Waves. Smiles. An upraised jersey to display the "Kansas State" on the front for everyone in Allen Fieldhouse to see.

Woman accused in escape in court
LEAVENWORTH -- The woman accused of helping a convicted murderer escape from a Kansas prison in a dog crate last month had her first appearance in a Kansas courtroom Thursday, and the inmate was back in prison.

Theft probe slowing down
Detectives probing thefts of thousands of dollars from the Manhattan Parks and Recreation Department and looking into a sports gambling ring probably will conclude both investigations within the next two weeks, a Riley County Police Department official said Wednesday.

Immigrant tuition break in peril
A House committee executed a rare legislative reversal Wednesday by endorsing a bill that repeals a 2004 law granting in-state college tuition to undocumented immigrants.

Plan would make districts chip in
Senate leaders played their hand on school finance Thursday, answering a recent House proposal on the issue with a three-year, $660 million plan for public schools.
The total amount of funding in the Senate's plan trumped the House's $500 million proposal, introduced last week. But while the House plan's funding would come from the state, the Senate's version requires school districts to provide $180 million from local property taxes to match $480 million in state funding.

Parts of proposal debated
Mike Wilson, associate superintendent for Topeka Unified School District 501, said some parts of the Senate's new school finance plan would be cause for celebration if the proposal became reality.

State's pay plan advances
State employees would receive a pay raise under a bill approved by the Senate on Wednesday, but a lawmaker who wants to be their boss voted against it.

Most cards now on table
If the city of Pittsburg were at a blackjack table, she would hold tight and bet big.
The cards dealt Dodge City look good at first glance, but there is anxiety about what is left in the deck.

Tax checkoffs may cost $160,000
Adding new checkoffs for breast cancer research and military family emergencies to Kansas individual income tax forms could cost the state $160,000, officials said Thursday.

Bill condemns funeral pickets
Members of a legislative committee made it clear Wednesday that they appreciate the Rev. Fred Phelps' protests about as much as the Topeka preacher and his followers accept homosexuality.
The Senate Federal and State Affairs Committee endorsed a resolution condemning picketing by Phelps and his followers from the Westboro Baptist Church.

Obama to speak
Illinois Sen. Barack Obama will be the keynote speaker for the Kansas Democratic Party's annual Washington Days Awards Banquet.

College Hill wins OK of USD 501
Topeka Unified School District 501 school board members on Thursday night gave their support to the College Hill redevelopment project.

County denies Target break
The Topeka Target Distribution Center has been denied a property tax exemption for 2006 that would have saved it an estimated $2,386,000 in real estate and personal property taxes.

City looks for help, wades into Capitol
Topeka officials appealed to state lawmakers Wednesday to hop aboard a proposal to develop the Kansas riverfront in the capital city.
Acting city manager Neil Dobler told members of the Senate Federal and State Affairs Committee that a bill calling for the creation of a Topeka/Shawnee County Riverfront Authority had generated a wave of enthusiasm in the community.

Police official cites lack of accountability
Topeka Police Department leaders apparently have failed to adequately let officers know what they expect from them, a police administrator told the city's Human Relations Commission on Thursday evening.
Based on public feedback he had heard at the meeting, Maj. Gary Herman said, "We haven't done a good enough job of expecting the best and holding people accountable for that."

Local notebook
House fireAll occupants of a house at 102 N.W. Franklin, including the family pets, escaped unhurt Wednesday as fire extensively damaged the building, the Topeka Fire Department said.

County eyeing golf course
Shawnee County wants to help Topeka with its maintenance problem at Cypress Ridge Golf Course, but it wants more than a simple maintenance contract.

Man acquitted in death
A Shawnee County District Court jury took less than 90 minutes Wednesday to acquit Harold Ernest Hernandez of killing his best friend when he punched him on Oct. 14 as the two argued in a North Topeka neighborhood.

Noted coach preaches accountability
When he was just 8 years old, coach Ken Carter sat in his kitchen in Mississippi and told his mother that someday there would be a movie about him and he would pay off her bills. He even took the time to write it down, just to make sure the promise stuck.

Six to vie for fiesta crowns
It will be a three-way race for both king and queen of the 2006 Fiesta Mexicana.
Three young men and three young women have volunteered to put in the long hours needed to raise the most money for Our Lady of Guadalupe School and thereby earn the royalty titles at the summer festival of Hispanic heritage, culture, music, food and dance.

Wittig wife checks will be studied
A federal judge has clarified the court's control over the household expenses of Beth Wittig, the wife of former Westar Energy Inc. chief executive officer David Wittig, now in jail for looting the utility.

Cocker spaniel missing
Jamie Zimmerman returned to Colorado on Wednesday disappointed she didn't find the dog she loves.

Local notebook
Road work
Street work will restrict traffic in two areas starting Monday morning.

Police briefs
Murder conviction
ALMA -- A Wabaunsee County jury on Thursday found Dustin O. Holt guilty of the Jan. 11, 2005, murder of his lover's husband. Holt was convicted in Wabaunsee County District Court of first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit first-degree murder for killing Kenton M. Shoffner at his home.

USD 501: Road tab isn't fair
Topeka Unified School District 501 officials say it isn't fair for the district to pick up about a tenth of the cost of widening S.W. MacVicar Avenue.

Local sports notebook
NAIA fields set
Seven Kansas teams, four women and three men, are in the NAIA Division II national tournaments March 8-14.

Work remains for Wichita State
ST. LOUIS -- Paul Miller, after playing five seasons under Mark Turgeon, had a pretty good idea what his coach would say about being named the Missouri Valley Coach of the Year on Thursday.

Racism: A community forum
Editor's note
Community reaction to the controversy surrounding Glenda Overstreet, the president of the local chapter of the NAACP, and Topeka Police Detectives Kenneth Eaton and George Campbell, has been heated, to say the least. The detectives have been placed on administrative leave after Overstreet complained they made racially insensitive remarks in reaction to a column she wrote for The Capital-Journal. To help you gain a fuller understanding of the issue, The Capital-Journal is reprinting Overstreet's Feb. 17 column along with a letter to the editor submitted by Eaton, and the full text of a statement released by the Topeka Police Department on Tuesday.
Wayne Stewart, Managing Editor

MacVicar Widening -- On our way
The debate over whether the Topeka school district will pay part of the cost of widening S.W. MacVicar likely will continue, but what is not in dispute is that road projects throughout the city are good for everyone.

Politicos finally learning about getting along
The story that Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius was telling this week about the struggle over school financing that has preoccupied her time in office reveals something significant about the changing mood of the public -- a change that could alter the dynamics of the next presidential race.

Letters to the editor
Mutual respect
As former treasurer for Topeka North Outreach, I just want to let the students at Northern Hills Junior High know how much TNO appreciates their fundraising efforts for our organization.

Burglaries -- Punish crime
Shawnee County District Attorney Robert Hecht is frustrated, and all Kansans should feel the same. Certainly, anyone whose car or home has been burglarized knows firsthand, and to a much higher degree, the level of Hecht's frustrations.

Letters to the editor
Students indeed capable
I am a 4.0 senior at Topeka High School, and I am writing this letter in response to a letter by James Norris on Jan. 26. Having received A's in AP calculus AB and AP literature/composition, I would say I am a strong candidate for being classified as a high school student with basic and writing skills, neither of which I would dream of accrediting to Mr. Norris.

Facing facts isn't enough, but it's a start
When late in the spring of 1940 people of southeastern England flocked across the Channel in their pleasure craft and fishing boats to evacuate soldiers trapped on Dunkirk beaches, euphoria swept Britain. So Prime Minister Winston Churchill sternly told the nation: "We must be very careful not to assign to this deliverance the attributes of a victory. Wars are not won by evacuations."

It's time to name park
I've been trying to come up with the name of a company that has brought more attention, both nationally and internationally, to Topeka than Menninger, and I'm stumped.

Romance, Oscar style
LOS ANGELES -- It's been seven years since a love story won the top Academy Award. Back then, it was a romance between a woman pretending to be a man who falls for Shakespeare. This time, it's two men in cowboy hats.

Ex-Rural coach dies
Bryce Stallard, who guided Washburn Rural to the 1960 Class A boys state basketball championship, died Wednesday. He was 79.

Heights rides defense to victory
OK, so the Shawnee Heights girls, who have struggled offensively at times this season, still weren't a scoring juggernaut Thursday night.

Seaman girls pull away in second half
After leading by four at halftime, the Seaman Vikings adjusted and went on to defeat the Gardner-Edgerton Trail Blazers 44-33 in Class 5A sub-state Thursday at Seaman.

Trojans pound out win
Topeka High's girls were matching Leavenworth ugly play for ugly play, and Jackie Hoyt wasn't hitting. And yet somehow, the Trojans found a way to move on to the next round of sub-state.

T-Birds wary of Scots
After seven straight appearances, a trip to the Class 5A state basketball tournament may seem like routine for Shawnee Heights girls, but T-Bird coach Bob Wells will never see it that way.

Rural boys, West girls out in sub-state
WICHITA — The Washburn Rural boys gave the top-ranked team in Class 6A a run in the first half, but the Junior Blues wilted in the second half after Wichita Southeast took it up a notch.

Washburn notebook
Lady Blues like early start
As the No. 1 seed in the MIAA Tournament, the Washburn Lady Blues had the opening game of the tournament at noon on Thursday. They came out strong, building a 22-point halftime lead and posted a 63-36 win over Truman State.

Washburn notebook
ESU women face Pitt State
Emporia State had injury issues late in the season but appears to be rounding into shape for the MIAA Tournament.

Blues bully Bulldogs
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The Washburn Lady Blues' depth and talent was evident in the first round of the MIAA Tournament. Lose the starting center and fill the void with two Division I transfers.